Billy Joel closing beloved New York motorcycle shop after brain disorder diagnosis
The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri.
In May, Joel announced that he was cancelling upcoming concerts after learning he has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a fluid buildup in his brain that can affect thinking, concentrating, memory, movement and more, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 76-year-old singer, composer and pianist was having trouble with his balance but otherwise felt good, he said in an interview last month on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast.
Joel, who grew up in nearby Hicksville, opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a place to maintain and repair his motorcycles, restore and customize ones he bought and showcase his collection for the public at no charge.
'It's basically promoting an aesthetic here,' he said in a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop. 'I like older style. I like the automotive style from the '30s to the '60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put 'em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic.'
He said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay — a ritzy waterfront community about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of midtown Manhattan — where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023.
'I've been living in this community for a long time,' he said in the video. 'I actually grew up not far from here. And I'd like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.'
Joel's nearby home in Centre Island is listed for $29.9 million, and he has been living in South Florida, while keeping a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island.
The shop became a popular stop for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists. It was home to Joel's collection of more than 75 bikes, dating back all the way to the 1940s and including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs. One of the most valuable, he said, was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes more, according to auction sites.
'I think everybody in Oyster Bay would agree that it's a big loss,' said Ted Bahr, who owns a vintage rock poster gallery next to 20th Century Cycles. 'Billy's place is visited on weekends by dozens and dozens of people, typically on motorcycles but also people in cars,. People come up and look at the window all the time. I mean it's a real destination. Billy Joel is a real superstar, and he is a hometown boy, so it's really unfortunate.'
The motorcycles that were in the shop have already been moved out. But it has been open on recent weekends selling new, used and vintage motorcycle parts that were still in stock there.
Joel's enthusiasm for motorcycles dates back decades. In 1982, he was riding a motorcycle on Long Island when he was struck by a car that ran a red light, injuring his left thumb and dislocating his right wrist. He spent about a month in the hospital. He has also ridden motorcycles in various benefits for 9/11 first responders, breast cancer and other causes over the years.
A date for the auction of his collection has not been set.
Dave Collins, The Associated Press
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